Dragons are the bread and butter of Shadow of the Erdtree. But if you want to easily beat the Ghostflame Dragon in Elden Ring, here’s how.
How to Beat the Ghostflame Dragon Fast in Elden Ring
As you reach the Cerulean Coast on the way to the Southern Shore map fragment, you’ll be ambushed by a massive undead dragon. This dragon, aptly named the Ghostflame Dragon, hits like an absolute truck. And if you’re struggling with putting it back in its grave, you’re not alone. Fortunately, there are a few tricks to handling it. And if you just want to cheese it, skip to the end.
First, Torrent is integral to this fight. The Ghostflame Dragon is exceptionally mobile and will create massive distance between you and it if you try to abuse its underbelly.
Second, it’s always best to aim for the dragon’s head. Hitting two to three physical shots to its noggin will cause it to collapse forward, revealing a bright orange crit spot on the right side of its head. Make sure you’re not locked into any part of the dragon, then use a heavy attack to start the critical animation. This will do around 4,000 damage or more, depending on your weapon and build.
Third, play cautiously. The Ghostflame Dragon has several attacks that will one-shot you if you don’t have enough vitality. If it begins spewing flames, try to dodge through it towards the dragon’s body, or use Torrent to quickly skirt away, going left or right. Going in the opposite direction of the flames will almost always lead to death. When the dragon throws its head up and its stomach begins to glow white, don’t approach it. This is an area-of-effect attack that will summon the undead. Kill the undead as quickly as possible, as they’re strong enough to take you out if you’re spending too much time focusing on the dragon.
Finally, the easiest time to actually land several consecutive hits is when the dragon dives at you. If you successfully dodge this attack, it will stay locked to the ground for several seconds, giving you the opportunity to absolutely wail on it. Again, always aim for the head, as there’s a chance the damage will be enough to open the dragon’s crit point.
Related: What is the Hardest Boss in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree?
How to Cheese the Ghostflame Dragon
Now, here’s the real cheese. If you’re tired of playing it fair, there’s a sorcery that absolutely devastates the poor Ghostflame Dragon. And that’s Loretta’s Mastery and Loretta’s Greatbow. These long-range sorceries can hit from a massive distance and seek out whatever you’re locked onto, so you don’t even have to face the dragon to hit it. You can safely spam these attacks while far enough away to avoid the death flames the Ghostdragon spews out. And certainly far enough away to see when the dragon’s pulling back for a charge and dive.
Loretta’s Greatbow is a pale shadow compared to Loretta’s Mastery, but it can be obtained earlier in the main game. Head to Caria Manor, just north of Liurnia of the Lakes. Loretta is an optional boss, but she’s significantly weaker than the Ghostflame Dragon. If you want Loretta’s Mastery, you’ll need to go all the way to Miquella’s Haligtree, where you can fight her in the courtyard.
Both skills take a sizable chunk of FP, but with this sorcery, you won’t take any damage, so feel free to spam those mana pots.
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is available now.
